Target



T, STRUTHERS.

TARGET.

APPLICATION FILED M16112, 191s.

Fatented May 27, 1919.

iT/wm "onTTnn sTnTns PATENT oTTioT.

THOMAS STRUTHERS, OF SPOKANE, WASHINGTON.

TARGET.

Application filed August 12, 1918.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, TrioMAs Srnrrrnnns, a citizen of the United States, residing at Spokane, in the county of Spokane, State of Washington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Targets, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to an improved target especially adapted for use in shooting galleries, etc, wherein a projectile such as a ball from a gun, bullet from a cartridge, a marble, or other projectile, when it strikes the target, will move the same to indicate a hit, and upon striking the bullseye will cause the usual audible signal.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of a target apparatus, which, when struck will be moved to change its appear ance entirely, as for instance by the lowering of one flag and the raising of another in its place, and in connection with this purpose the invention consists in certain novel combinations and arrangements of parts as will be hereinafter more specifically described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings one complete example of the physical embodiment of the invention is depicted, the arrangement being according to the best mode so far devised for the practical application of the principles of the invention.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of one of the units of the target, showing it supported upon a base.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view through the base, showing the target in side elevation.

Fig. 3 is a sectional detail view of a part of the target support, showing a channel therethrough for a part of the flag halyards.

Fig. 4 is a detail view of the stationary member of the halyard clutch with which the member in Fig. 3 co-acts to hold the halyard of the flag to be raised by the movement of the target.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention a number of targets are used, the units being similar in construction and operatlon, and these units are readily attachable to or detachable from a base board 1 which has a top rail 2 extending asuitable distance and at a suitable location in the shooting gallery or other place of use. The targets or units may be arranged in rows and eachunit is clamped to the the top rail through the in strumentality of a metallic, inverted U-shape bracket 3, a screw 4 being employed to pre- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 2?, 1919.

Serial No. 249,519.

vent displacement of the target 5. The target per 86 indicated at 5 is a circular plate of suitable metal provided with the usual rings, and in the instance shown in the drawings is in outline of a grotesque human figure, with the head and feet portions projecting above and below the circular plate. At the center of the plate is a bulls eye 6 in the form of a circular opening, through which may be discerned the disk 7 which is of suitable metal. and so suspended on the transverse pin 8 that it will ring when struck by the projectile which passes through the opening 7 to make a bulls eye.

The disk 7 is suspended between the plate 5 and the integral bracket 9 at the back of the plate, and this bracket is hollow to form a socket to slip over the upper reduced end 10 of the movable post 11, suitable bolts or screws 12 being used to secure the bracket on the top of the post. In this manner the target member and its appurtenances are removably attached, by the set bolts or screws 12 to the top of the post 11. Above the bracket 9 at the back of the target plate another bracket 13 is formed, which is a practical continuation of the integral bracket 9 and this latter bracket also is hollow to form a socket for the flag staff or stem 14, a screw 1.5 being utilized to hold the staff in the socket. The post 11, in normal position is vertical, and is symmetrically positioned with regard to the target member, and the flag staff 14 with its flag also projects vertically above the target and centrally thereof.

The post 11 is pivoted on the bracket 3 so that the target may swing back when struck with suflicient force, and to this end the post 11. provided with a hub portion 16 at its base which is pivoted between the two ears 17 and 17 of the bracket 3, a pivot pin or bolt 18 being used to hold the post in between the perforated ears.

Arranged at right angles to the flag staff 14: is a second flag staff 19, which, when the target is in normal position, projects to the front in a horizontal position, and this flag staff is preferably hollow and secured in the hollow boss 20 projecting forwardly from the hub 16 to accommodate one of the flag halyards 21 which passes through a channel 22 in the hub and thence through the hollow flag staff 19. This halyard 21 passes backwardly from the hub over a guide pulley 23 supported in the bracket 24, and at its lower end has attached thereto a weight 25 located below the top rail and back of the base board 1. The other halyard 21 for co-action with the halyard 21 has at the rear of the base board, a spring 26 anchored to the bracket 27 and these two halyards control the movement of the flag 28 which is slidable on the hollow flag staff 19 by means of the two rings or sleeves 29.

The halyard 21 it will be noted is attached to the top of the flag 28 and thence is passed through the top of the hollow stafi 19, back through the hub 16 and over the pulley 23, and as the weight 25 is of sufficient gravity to overcome the tension of the spring 26, it is necessary, in order to prevent untimely raising of the flag 28, to pinch or clamp the halyard 21, so that the weight 25 can not raise the flag except when this action is desired. The halyard is held or clasped between the two lugs 30 and 31, the former being a stationary lug on the ear 17 of the bracket 3, and the latter being a movable lug on the hub 16 of the post 11.

Thus, when the target is standing upright as in Figs. 1 and 2, the lug 31 bears up and holds the halyard 21 between it and the lug 30 on the ear 17, but when the target is struck and is turned back on its pivot, these two lugs are parted and the halyard is free. The weight, however can not fall unless it is freed from the suspending arm 32 which has a plate 33 to receive the weight, and the arm is pivoted at 3 1 to a pivoted lever 35 in the form of a segment of a circle pivoted at 36 at the rear of the bracket 3. This lever is shown in normal position in Fig. 2 with its end resting against the back of the post 11 of the target, and is used to return the target to normal position after being knocked down by a projectile through the instrumentality of a pull cord or rod 37, bell crank lever 38 pivoted at 39 on the bracket 40, and the connecting rod l1 between the bell crank lever and the return lever 35.

Thus when the target is struck (if on the bulls eye the bell rings) the impact will cause the target member to swing back on its pivot 18. The return lever 35 is swung back on its pivot 36 and the suspending lever 32 swings down and to the right in Fig. 3", from beneath the weight 25. As the target swings back, the flag stalf 19 and its flag 28 swing to upright position until they assume the vertical position formerly held by the target, and the two jaws or lugs 30 and 31 are separated by the swinging movement of the post 11 so that the halyard 21 is freed from the jaws. The suspending lever 32 is also freed from the weight 25, and consequently the weight 25 raises the flag 28 to the top of the flag staff 19 as the latter swings to upright position, the position of theweight in this condition being indicated by dotted lines Fig. 2.

post, of afiag slidably supported onthe The target is returned to normal position by a push on the rod 37, and this return movement of lever 35 raises the suspending lever 32 and with it the weight 25, the retraction of the spring 26 taking up the slack of the halyards 21' and 21, and when in final position, the halyard 21 is again gripped by the jaws 30, 31.

At the front of the target a pair of spring fingers 12 42 are provided for retaining a placard 43, shown in dotted lines Fig. 1, upon which placard may be printed or eX- hibited suitable advertising matter, information, etc.

Claims 1. The combination with a pivoted ost and its target member, and a flag sta arranged at right angles to the post, of a flag slidably supported on the staff, and means for automatically raising the flag as the staff is swung to upright position.

2. In a target, the combination with an upright, pivoted post and its target member, and a flag staff arranged at an angle to the stafi, means for holding the flag in lowered position, and means automatically actuated for raising the flag as thestafi is returned to upright position. v V

3. In a target, the combination with an upright pivoted post and its target member, and a flag staff arranged at an angle to the post and rigid therewith, a movable flag supported on the staff and a pair of halyards for the flag, means for holding the halyards with the flag in lowered position, and auto matic means for raising the flag as the staff is turned to upright position.

4. The combination in a target with an upright pivoted post and its target member, of a flag staif arranged at an angle to the post, and a movable flag on the stafi, of halyards for the flag, means co-acting to hold the flag in lowered position and adapted to be released as the stafl turns to upright 'position, and means for operating the halyards to raise the flag as the staff is turned to upright position. p

5. The combination in a target with an upright pivoted post and its target member, 11 of, a flag stafi arranged at an angle to the post, a movable flag thereon and halyards for the flag, of means co-acting to hold the halyards with the flagin lowered position, a spring attached to a halyard for lowering" 12 the flag, and a weight attached to the other halyard for raising the flag as the post is turned back on its pivot. I

6. In a target the combination with a target-post and its target member, of a flag staff arranged at an angle to the post and flag thereon, of a support for the post hav} ing a fixed jaw, halyards for the flag and means for co-acting withthe halyards to raise and lower the flag, and a jaw on the 0 post co-acting with the fixed jaw -for holdtached to one halyard for lowering the flag ing the flag in lowered position. and a Weight attached to the other halyard 7. In a target, the combination with a tarfor raising the flag, and a jaw on the post 10 get post and its target member, of a flag stafi co-aeting with the fixed jaw, for holding the arranged at an angle to the post and flag halyards Wlth the flag in 10W6I'6d P05113101}. thereon With halyards, of a support for the In testimony whereof I aflix my signature. pivoted post formed with a jaw, a spring at THOMAS STRUTHERS.

Gopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

